Joyce D’Augustine made a mistake.

She admits it.

The Edward Little High School teacher provided students with alcohol and allowed them to drink at her house.

It’s difficult to believe that an upstanding role model for young adults could make such a bad judgment call. Teenagers need to know where the line is drawn – and sanctioned drinking at a teacher’s house is way over the line. Even if the teacher, as D’Augustine did, takes away the teens’ car keys.

In the no-tolerance atmosphere of today’s schools, we would expect this teacher to be fired. We would expect public outrage, and parents demanding her resignation. That didn’t happen.

After scheduling a termination hearing, the Auburn School Committee heard from students, parents and former students. The uniform message was that D’Augustine was a good teacher who deserved another chance.

Instead of firing her, the school committee imposed undisclosed restrictions on the veteran teacher. And she agreed to work with the school’s substance-abuse counselor to send a message to kids that drinking is not a good way to have fun.

We credit the school committee for having the courage to set zero-tolerance fervor aside and look at D’Augustine’s overall value.

That’s what good judges do. In deciding punitive action, they weigh many things: past behavior, remorse, the effect on society. And they temper their rulings with compassion. Virtues don’t erase transgressions, but a good track record can greatly mitigate a misstep.

Last week, D’Augustine pleaded guilty to three counts of furnishing liquor to minors. She paid $450 in fines.

She didn’t lose her job, but after 16 years as a popular and talented teacher, she fell hard from grace. She has borne shame and public humiliation as this story unfolded in the news media over the past eight months. She has had to endure loss of trust and respect. She has had to face her colleagues, her community and most importantly, her students.

“This has been the worst experience I have encountered,” D’Augustine told a reporter in June.

We believe Joyce D’Augustine made a dreadful choice, but no one’s perfect — even good people stumble. That’s why zero tolerance is a flawed concept.


Duty calls
He prepared for the worst as he packed up to leave his loved ones for the next six to 12 months.

When jets hit the World Trade Center last September, Joe Rawls was so moved that he joined the U.S. Army Reserves. Now he’s been called away from his wife and four children.

Rawls and two other guards at the Androscoggin County Jail were among 10,000 reservists called to duty last week. Some were destined for the Middle East.

We admire their courage, but we hope it isn’t tested by war.


kkreworuka@sunjournal.com